DTC votes to keep Farricker as chairman

Justin Pottle

Updated 12:08 am, Thursday, March 20, 2014

Democratic Town Committee Chairman Frank Farricker survived a challenge from Beth Krumeich Wednesday night, holding on to party leadership by a single vote. After a tense stand-off while vote counters navigated Robert's Rules, DTC official announced Farricker had won a third two-year term, besting Krumeich 28 votes to 27, with two abstentions and one ballot not filed.

The vote comes as a fitting end to an at-times vicious campaign, which had been exceedingly tight right up to Wednesday night's decision and had codified deep rifts in Greenwich's minority party.

Farricker now has the less than enviable task of bridging those gaps and earning anew the support of his fractured minority party.

The vast majority of the Democratic Town Committee's 73 members were present for the vote, nearly filling the Town Hall Meeting Room to take sides. However, debate over rules of order hung up the meeting, pushing the voting decision into evening.

Democrats took turns stumping for their chosen candidates during the nominating process. The pro-Farricker camp focused on the incumbent chairman's political experience and successful track record leading town Democrats in a red town.

"He is an experienced, proven leader," said former Selectman Lin Lavery. "He's pragmatic, tough when toughness is needed. He has a direct line to Hartford and a deep and true understanding of this town. Under his leadership the democrats have become stronger."

Farricker promised a new push for community communication and fundraising, touting the Democrats' more aggressive track record over his tenure and the party's strengthened position in the community.

"We don't always win the elections, but we're winning the debate," he said.

Krumeich and her supporters boosted her candidacy on grounds of teamwork and big plans for year-round fundraising.

"She's not a one-person show," said Dick Bergtresser, a former first selectman. "She's going to draw all of us in, make all of us work and make everyone stronger."

"If elected, I will work with each of you to recruit the best qualified candidates that will attract votes from throughout the town," said Krumeich. "We will build an infrastructure."

Both candidates evoked promises of unity -- something that has recently been in short supply for the Greenwich left.

The campaign spiraled out of a post-Election Day tailspin for the Democrats, the party gripped by infighting and deep ideological and personal divisions. November saw incumbent First Selectman Peter Tesei gain 72 percent of the vote to defeat Krumeich. In the following weeks, members of the BET Democratic caucus turned on each other over a proposal to amend that board's election rules.

A Farricker-backed contingent of Democrats refused to re-elect the proposal's author, caucus Chairman Bill Finger, to his leadership post, eventually convening to swear themselves in early and elect Board of Estimate and Taxation firebrand Sean Goldrick as a temporary caucus chairman.

Farricker was quick to launch highly public attacks on Finger and his allies in local media, drawing condemnation from others within the DTC. The meltdown sharply polarized the party, leading Krumeich to mount her challenge, some have suggested, in an effort to improve its public image.

Though both sides emphasized that the race was about expanding dialogue, rather than a referendum on Farricker's leadership, the match-up became one of extreme personalities: the outspoken, at-times-brash Farricker versus the all-but-silent Krumeich.

However, despite the veneer of cordiality, the power politics never fully disappeared from the campaign for the chairmanship.

Two of Farricker's most vocal supporters, Goldrick and fellow BET Democrat Randall Huffman , were forced from the DTC during the committee's biennial caucus in January. Some Democrats, including Huffman, said the ousting was political, precipitated by Krumeich supporters bringing personal associates with them to vote for a deliberately anti-Farricker slate.